Charity supergroup

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To raise funds or awareness for charities or causes which they support, musicians may sometimes form groups often known as charity supergroups. While all-star membership in these groups may suggest that they are supergroups, they are usually together only for a single album, show, or single. Also, the primary objective of these groups are not record sales or profit for the musicians, but a more humanitarian goal such as supporting a non-profit organization. Perhaps the most famous charity supergroup is USA for Africa, which featured such stars as Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, which recorded We are the World to support famine relief in Ethiopia. However, the concept dates back to at least 1971 when George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organized The Concert for Bangladesh, and a subsequent album and film, to support UNICEF relief efforts in that country.

[edit] List of Notable Charity Supergroups

Founded	Band/project name	Project co-ordinator(s)	Notes
1971	The Concert for Bangladesh	George Harrison Ravi Shankar	concert to raise awareness of refugee problems in Bangladesh, raised funds to benefit UNICEF relief fund, released a film of the concert and an album, The Concert for Bangla Desh
1979	Rockestra	Paul McCartney	recorded "Let It Be", "Lucille", "Rockestra Theme", and "So Glad to See You Here" at the Concerts for the People of Kampuchea, to benefit people of Cambodia suffering from Pol Pot's regime; released as a promotional EP and film
1983	ARMS Charity Concert	Ronnie Lane	concert at Royal Albert Hall to support multiple sclerosis research
1984	Band Aid	Bob Geldof Midge Ure	recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia
1985	Deep End	Pete Townshend (The Who) David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) Jody Linscott (Elton John, Eric Clapton) John 'Rabbit' Bundrick (The Who) Billy Nicholls Simon Phillips Chucho Merchan Cleveland Watkiss Chyna Emma Townshend	recorded "Deep End Live!"
1985	Northern Lights	Bruce Allen	recorded the charity single "Tears Are Not Enough" for famine relief in Ethiopia
1985	USA for Africa	Harry Belafonte Michael Jackson Quincy Jones Lionel Richie Kenny Rogers	recorded "We Are the World" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia
1985	Hear 'n Aid	Ronnie James Dio	recorded the charity single and album "Stars" for famine relief in Africa
1985	Artists United Against Apartheid	Steven Van Zandt	recorded the song and album "Sun City" to protest apartheid in South Africa
1985/1986	Dionne and Friends	Dionne Warwick Gladys Knight Elton John Stevie Wonder	Recorded the song "That's What Friends Are For" as a charity single for the United Kingdom in 1985 and the United States in 1986 for American Foundation for AIDS Research.
1989	Band Aid II	Bob Geldof Midge Ure	re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single, also for famine relief in Ethiopia
2004	Band Aid 20	Bob Geldof Midge Ure	re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 20th anniversary charity single, for famine relief in Ethiopia
2005	The North American Hallowe'en Prevention Initiative (NAHPI)		an all star cast of rock artists recorded a satire of the song "Do They Know It's Christmas" named Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?, all proceeds being donated to UNICEF.
2005	One World Project		recorded the charity single "Grief Never Grows Old" to benefit 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief